Social Media for Good for Legal Professionals

As attorneys, paralegals, and court reporters, we’re inundated with content on a regular basis. Much, if not all, comes from online sources whether it’s online or in legal briefs and journals. How much are you sharing on social media? Where is the line for what is appropriate to post? And how can we use social media for good instead of being negative and tearing people down?

When it comes to social media for good for legal professionals, it is important to understand the ramifications of the content that you post.

Because of the sensitivity of cases and confidentiality, I recommend always asking yourself, “What would my colleagues and clients think if I posted this?” Even if you’re posting on your personal Facebook account or in a private group, there can be consequences to your actions.

Earlier this year a group of would-be Harvard freshmen were in a private Facebook group posting risqué and racist memes and comments. They thought what they were posting was okay because it was in a group. Somehow their posts were brought to the attention of powers that be and the group was shut down. This wasn’t before their acceptance letters and scholarships were revoked. Whether you’re a student or a legal professional, what you say and do on social media can impact you.

The best way to use social media for legal professionals is as a communication tool.

For the team at Steno Services, we use social media to connect with our community of attorneys, paralegals, and court reporters to let them know who we are and what we’re doing.

We’re sharing the benefits of a career as an Oklahoma court reporter, the industry trending toward court reporter shortage, and how we need to reach prospective reporters so that the court system can keep operating.

As an attorney, social media can be used to share ideas, provide other lawyers with valuable information about running their practice, lessons learned, tips for communicating with clients, connecting with prospective clients, and legal trends.

Social media doesn’t have to be exclusively cat memes and political posts. For me, it starts with thinking about how I want myself and my business represented online.

What’s your purpose on social media?

Who do you want to meet?

What lessons do you want to teach or learn?

Once you understand yourself and your business, you begin to craft messages that connect you to the kind of people you want to know. Social media for good doesn’t happen to you. It starts WITH you.